After obtaining the information he needed, Conrad wasted no time and returned directly to his hotel in Yorknew City. Once he reached his room, he took a shower to relax, ordered a proper meal, grabbed a beer, and sat down at his desk.
Aside from the Phantom Troupe matter, he had learned several important things about Nen itself.
In his mind, the subject could be divided into three major points.
"1. Categories are not absolute. With the right training and techniques, a Nen user can eventually utilize categories that should be distant from their natural affinity without suffering meaningful drawbacks."
"2. NEN conditions and restrictions are directly tied to the subconscious. By influencing their own beliefs and understanding, a person can create far more advantageous conditions and limitations, strengthening themselves in the process."
"3. Nen does not have a rule that says the impossible cannot be achieved. As long as the requirements, circumstances, and individuals involved are suitable, almost anything can become possible."
To an outsider, these discoveries might not seem particularly valuable. However, Conrad understood their significance.
"Especially for someone in my position, these principles are extremely important. I can create a new ability roughly every six months. Understanding the foundations behind Nen changes everything."
He took a sip of beer and quietly spoke.
"Black Ring."
The familiar panel appeared before his eyes.
Black Ring - Individuals: 32
Black Ring - Total Stored: 32
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Excellent growth."
"There were only five during the first week. Now there are thirty-two."
"The results are better than I expected."
He checked the time and noticed that several hours remained before midnight.
"While I'm waiting, I might as well continue planning."
Conrad's primary objective had always been to dive as deeply as possible into the mechanics of Nen and learn how to use both his existing abilities and future ones with maximum efficiency.
Thanks to the knowledge he had recently acquired, his overall power could advance in ways he had not previously considered.
He took a blank sheet of paper and began listing his abilities.
Black Ring Master - Good for All
Trinity Orbs
Hand Of The Future
Blink - The Vanishing One
Sleeping Beast - Simulation
Cane and Blade, Marked for Death
Seekers Of The Unknown (Team Ability)
Obelisks (Area Observation - Healing)
Resistance of Darwin
After writing them down, he leaned back and began analyzing each one.
"Black Ring Master replaced State of Calm. Since I used that ability constantly, its evolution was important and worth pursuing."
"Resistance of Darwin, Obelisks, Seekers of the Unknown, and Sleeping Beast: Simulation are currently functioning exactly as they should."
"There is no need to alter them yet."
"The same applies to Hand of the Future. It can remain unchanged for now."
He stood up and began pacing across the room.
His thoughts moved rapidly from one possibility to another.
"Looking at my overall combat capability, only Blink, Cane and Blade, and Trinity Orbs directly improve my fighting strength."
"I've already decided that my eleventh Nen ability will be an Exorcist-type ability."
"That means my current focus should not be creating another combat ability. Instead, I should improve the combat abilities I already possess and rebuild them using my new understanding of Nen."
He returned to his chair.
"To be honest, both Trinity Orbs and Blink have too many weaknesses."
"Blink allows me to teleport, but against experienced opponents in a serious battle, its limitations become obvious."
"Trinity Orbs has a similar issue. Constantly searching for new spheres is inconvenient, and the balance between speed, power, and practicality still isn't ideal."
Conrad closed his eyes and rested for several moments.
"I need to focus on this."
"Within two weeks to a month, both abilities should be redesigned through new conditions."
"When the new conditions are established, the old ones will disappear."
"Trinity Orbs, in particular, should reach a point where they can function through ancient script instead of requiring physical objects."
The more he thought about it, the clearer his future path became.
Creating entirely new abilities was valuable, but refining existing ones could provide immediate gains. His recent discoveries suggested that many of the limits he had accepted were not truly fixed. If Nen conditions could be adjusted through deeper understanding and subconscious influence, then several of his abilities might be capable of reaching entirely new levels.
For the next few hours, he continued reviewing possibilities, making notes, and testing theories in his mind.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Reginald and Lina were spending time together in a small café.
"What do you think about visiting a coastal town?" Reginald asked while looking across the table.
Lina smiled.
"Where did that idea come from?"
Reginald shrugged.
"It seems like the best time for it."
"We aren't involved in any major mission right now."
"And whenever Conrad shows up with another assignment, we'll be busy again."
Lina considered the idea for a moment before nodding.
"You might be right."
"Do you have a destination in mind?"
Reginald rested a finger against his chin.
"Actually, yes."
"What about Whale Island? I've heard it's quiet and that the island itself resembles a whale."
Lina thought about it briefly.
"Sure."
"It's just a trip, after all."
Reginald nodded in approval and immediately purchased ferry tickets using his phone.
Neither of them realized that their simple vacation choice would place them on the path toward one of the most unusual locations in the world. For now, however, they were only looking forward to a few peaceful days away from responsibilities, complications, and the increasingly dangerous events that seemed to follow Conrad wherever he went.
-
While Reginald and Lina were making plans for their vacation, Adarte and Anisa were training in a practice room, focusing on Ryu.
They continuously practiced kicks, punches, and various combat techniques while refining their control over Nen.
Half an hour later, Anisa shook her head and commented.
"Adarte, for some reason, your thoughts are usually very easy to read."
"Without you doing anything, I can tell at a glance which area you're going to protect with Nen and which limb you're about to use Gyo on."
Adarte smiled in response.
"I know."
"But not all of us are monsters."
"And you know the monster I'm talking about."
Anisa smiled.
"Come on."
"Let's train for another hour and then go get something to eat." she said.